Railway-car



2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Sept. 9, 189.0.

H. G. BIRD.

RAILWAY GAR.

(No Model.)

I 'Zzwsses (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. G. BIRD.

RAILWAY GAR.

No. 436.031. Patentedsept. 9, 189'0.

'jdOUUQ/Go @M7 L f l 7/4 f UNITED STATES .PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE G. BIRD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

RAI LwAY-CA'R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,031, datedSeptember 9, 1890.

Appiicmion filed May 16, 1890.

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HORACE G. BIRD, acitizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new` and useful Improvement in Railway-Cars, of which thefollowing is a specification.

-of the truck or running-gear which shall permit all the parts not ofnecessity connected rigidly to yield in such directions as will tend toprevent undesirable strain tending to disorganize or distort the truck;to prevent the excessive longitudinal oscillatory or rockingmotioncommon to street-cars in which the body portions materially exceedin length that of the wheel-bases; to enable the tie-bar commonlyemployed on each side of the car for connecting together the journal-boxposts thereon to be dispensed with; to avoid any vrigid connectionbetween the truck-frameand car-body, whereby the latter shall depend forstability upon its weight, and may, without requiring bolts or otherdevices to be first loosened or removed for the purpose, be lifted fromthe truck to remove it from the latter,

and, in a similar manner, to enable the truckL frame to be lifted offthe journal-boxes, enabling the common operations of removing Wheels andjournal-boxes to be performed without requiring first the undoing of anybolts, and this with the utmost readiness, and, finally, to render theseating of the free end of the motor provided as a means of locomotionon the car elastically yielding and self-adjusting. l

A further object is to provide a generallyimproved construction ofrailwaycar.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is Serial No. 351,997. (Nomodel.)

a broken plan VVview of the running-gear portion of a streetcar providedwith my improvements, but showing only one side of the twosimilarly-constructed sides of the truckframe. Fig. 2 is a View in sideelevation of the samefshowing, in addition, the line of the base of thecar-body; Fig. 3, a section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, viewed inthe 6o direction ofthe arrows and enlarged and partly broken; Fig. et, abroken sectional View taken on the line at of Fig. l, viewed in thedirection of the arrow and enlarged; Fig'.

5, a section taken on the line 5 of Fig. 4, and 65 viewed in thedirection of the arrow; Fig. 6,

a broken view in elevation showing one of the four corners of thetruck-frame 'andcarbody with the interposed spring, indicated only bydotted lines in Fig. 2; and Fig. 7, a 7o similar view of the same,showinga modification.

The wheels w a nd their axles o, and also the interior structure orarrangement of the journal-boxes t, may involve any suitable orwellknown construction, though the journal-boxes should be provided withwing-pieces t', to support the spring-seats t2, Fig. 3, containingannular openings t3, extended downward to form bearings orlaterally-confining means 8c for the posts A. These posts form part ofthe truck-frame B and extend through the annular bearings t3, withreference to which they have sufficient clearance to afford to the postsand truck-frame (under control of the springs,- 8 5 hereinafterdescribed) easy elastic lateral movement independently ofthejournal-boxes t supporti ug them. Such clearance, however, is notsufficient to allow the journal-boxest to be forced so far in anydirection out of 9o their proper perpendicular relation to thetruck-frame B as to endanger the stability of the truck, the intentionin regard to which is to confer a degree of stability equaling thatafforded with the so-called pedestal gear, (a kind of running-gear inwhich the journalbox is held in its proper relation to the truckframe bya horn-plate or pedestal external to the springs,) and also to conferthe elasticity gear (in which the journal-box is held in proper relationto the truck-frame by a vertical rod or post passing through the springsand attached at its upper end to the truckwhich is characteristic of theso-called post I co frame and at its lower end to the tic-bar) whiledispensing with the horizontal tie-bar and its braces, which arenecessary to the last-named or post gear, and with the hornplate orpedestal external t-o the springs necessary to the first-named orpedestal gear.

The truck-frame B may be formed of wood or of metal, or both, and thesides and ends thereof, as well as the means for securing them together,may for the purposes of my improvement be of any usual or desiredconstruction. I prefer, however, the followingdescribed construction forthe truck-frame: For each side or wheel-piece two lengths of channel-barr are placed back to back, with the web portion of each vertical and afilling 'r' of wood between them, the purpose of the latter being,first, to act as a cushion to deaden any blows (as also the ringingsound thereof) to which the metal of the frame may be subjected, and,secondly, to enlarge the cross-sectional area of the wheel-piece,thereby affording the greater resistance to torsional strain and thegreater horizontal surface for seating parts, hereinafter described,connected with the posts A, as also any other attachments, and forapplying bolts and other fastenings employed in the construction of thetruck. For each of the opposite ends of the frame B, I employ achannel-bar r2, so placed as to dispose its web horizontally, and Iconnect the sides and ends in the corners of the frame by means ofgussets r", secured by rivets T5, and bolts r6, the purpose of thegussets being to confer angular stiffness to the frame and causeit tomaintain its rectangular shape under all conditions. Each post A, whichshould be hollow, as shown, is provided between its extremities with lateral flanges p and p', affording between them about the post acountersink or recess p2 to receive the sides of the truck-frame B,which thus embrace the post between the said flanges, and are securedtogether and to the posts by bolts or rivets q. The under side of theflange p forms a cap for the upper end of a spiral spring o, confinedbetween it around the post, and the annular seat 752 in a wing Z of ajournal-boxt. The flange 2J is formed on its upper side into a cap toreceive the lower end of aspring 0,snrrounding the post like the springo, and confined between the cap p and a deeper cap n surmounting thepost to envelop the spring throughout a considerable extent of itslength and affording upon its flat topa bearing for the base of thecar-body C. The springs o and o on each postare, for a purposehereinafter stated, differential in strength, the lower being thestronger or hea-vier and the upper the weaker or lighter. Extending fromside to side of the frame B, each in proper position to afford a supportfor the so-called free end of an electric motor, (not shown, as it formsno part of my invention, and may involve any suitable or wellknownconstruction,) in contradistinction to the opposite working end, whichis suitably connected with and supported by an axle e, is a beam m. Twosuch beams are shown, each -being intended to support the free end of amotor, of which two are supposed to be provided on the ear forpropelling it. The beam m rests toward opposite ends upon thewheel-pieces o of the frame B, andis there attached by means of carriers'my' and bolts and rivets m2, Fig. Ll. As only one of the beams m may beemployed, and as both of those shown to be provided and the parts theycarry and supporting them are aflike, but one need be herein definitelydescribed. Frein the beam fm depends a hanger D, the upper end of whichis bifurcated, as shown, to embrace the beam laterally, on the upperside of which it is supported by a roller Z', journaled, as in themannerillustrated,in the bifurcatcd end ot' the stem Z, whereby thehanger may have a free traversing movement lengthwise of itssupporting-beam. The lower end of the stem Z is provided with anadjustable stop,preferabiy in the form of anutm on a thread formed onthe stern, and supporting on the latter a seat Z2, convex on its uppersurface to lit into a correspondingly-concave recess in the free end ofthe motorsuspended by the hanger D. rlhus by the manner described ofsupporting the motor when in rounding curves in the track on which thetruck may be running, or from any other cause, the wheels, axle, andmotor are thrown to the right or left independently of the truck-frame,the free end ot' the motor (which hitherto has required an especialspring or the like to supportit) will readily follow such movement, orin starting or stopping the truck, or in applying pressure (as thebrakepressure) to the wheels w, the latter, the axle,

and the motor may be forced temporarily nearer to or farther from thepoint of suspension ot the free end of the motor. The hanger D isadapted, owing to the convex seat Z2 and convexiy-curved surface of theroller Z', with which it is provided, to follow such movements of thewheels and axle to permit the free end of the motor it supports to beosciliated slightly in every direction without exerting undue strainupon the truckframe, the working parts of the truck, or the motor.

The springs o on the posts A afford, as will be seen, an immediateelastic support for the truck-frame, though the elastic movement4permitted by such springs, as applied, is limited in every direction tosuch a range as will serve eifectively to break or cushion the force ofthe stresses incurred under ordinary conditions of traffic, but will notpermit any of the moving parts to pass beyond or out of their proper.mechanical relations to each other. Vhile this limited range of elasticmovement sumces for the purposes stated, it

is not, however, sufficient to afford the degree of comfort and ease inriding desirable in a vehicle of the kind to which my improvementrelates. Accordingly, to afford such ease and TOO IIO

IIS

comfort I provide the springs o lighter than the springs o, and arrangedon the posts Ain the manner already described, the pair of caps n forthe springs o on the posts upon each journal-box being preferablyconnected from y one post to the other by bearing-plates n. Thespring-caps fn, with their deep recesses enveloping the springs'o, inconjunction with the upper portions of the posts A extending inside thesprings, maintain the latter in proper vertical relation to thetruck-frame and car-body, while allowing easy vertical and lateralmotion to the car-body independently of the truck.

The division of the springs to afford the separate members and o on eachpost A is primarily for the purpose of allowing the truck-frameandallits attachments, including the free end of an electric motor (or anypart of the gripping mechanism employed on cablerailway cars) to receivethe beneiit'of the cushioning effect of the springs. Thecomparatively-limited size of the springs o below the truck-frameprevents excessive oscillatory movement of the truck-frame and itsattachrnents, while the springs o above the truck-frame afford thedesired additional cushion to the car-body. It will be noticed, however,that while the lower springs carry lthe truck, the lower and uppertogether carry the car-body. Thus being divided and differential, asstated, they permit the car-body with its load and the truck-frame withits attachments to oscillate on the springs independently of each other,and since the two springs, being of different strength, havedifferential synchronous periods of vibration they will vibrate (underthe usual conditions of street-car traffic) more or less against eachother, and by such inequality in their respective vibrations theoscillation of the car-body will tend to neutralize that of the truck,and as a result obviate the excessive lengthwise oscillatory or rockingmotion which is common in street-cars wherein the length of the`car-body materially exceeds the wheel-base.

It is not necessary that the spring o shall be located perpendicularlyabove its companion spring o, as the truck-frame completely divides thetwo springs, (which may be regarded as a single spring formed in twodifferential parts,) andthe strength and-rigidity of the truck-frame aresuch that it is adapted properly to support aspring Yo (or as many asmay be required or desired) at any part of its length. Thus it isespecially desirable to use a spring o2 (indicated in Fig. l2, and shownby an enlarged view in Fig. 6) with the adjacent spring o', of which itis a counterpart, or instead of it, near each extreme end at each sideof the truck-frame, the more to lessen upon the latter the verticallongitudinal oscillation ot' the car-body, and the spring o2 may be atthe upper side of the base of the car-body, as shown in Fig. 7, where itshould be secured bya rod la, passing from its upper end through the capn and car-body base or side, and pivotally secured at its lower end tothe side of the truck-frame. p

Although the foregoing description sets forth my invention in itsapplication to a truck, the principle thereof may be used with equaladvantage by more or less direct application of the same to the car-bodywithout the intervention of what is generally understood under the termtruck or it may be applied to a truck attached, instead of more or lessrigidly to a car-body, by a center-pin or the like employed f or thepurpose of allowingthe truck (where, for example, a car is mounted upontwo four-wheel trucks) to rotate under the car-body to adapt it toreadily pass around curves in the track upon which the car may berunning.

The particular details shown and described for the application ofmyimprovements,while they best serve my purpose, so far as I am aware,may be variously changed or modied without thereby entailing departurefrom the truck-frame and supporting the car-body,`

substantially as and for the purpose set fort-l1.

2. 'rIn a railway-car, the combination, with the journal-boxes, of postsA, supported at opposite sides of the journal-bearing in each box andhaving springs o confined upon them, a truck-frame surmounting the saidsprings, through and beyond which the posts extend, springs o', weakerthan the springs o, confined upon the upper side of the truckframe andlsupporting the car-body, and springs o2 between the truck-frame nearits corners and the car-body, substantially as described.

3. In'a railway-car, the combination, with the journal-boxes, of wingst', having annular bearings t3, provided with spring-seats t2, posts A,supported in the said bearings and provided with cap-fianges p and fp',springs o, confined on the posts between the said springseats andcap-fianges p, a truck-frame supported on the posts between the saidcapflanges thereon, springs 0', seated around the posts in thecap-flanges p', and caps n, surinounting the springs o at their upperends and supporting the car-body, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

4. In a railway-car, the combination, with the journal-boxes, of wingst', having annular bearings t3, provided with spring-seats t2, posts A,supported in the said bearings andprovided with cap-fiangcs p and p',springs o, conned on the posts between the said spring- IIO seats andthe cap-flanges p, a truck-frame supported on the p'osts `between thesaid cap flanges thereon, springs o', seated around the posts in thecap-flanges p', caps n, surmounting the springs o at their upper endsand supporting the ear-body, and a bearing-plate n', connecting the caps'n of each pair of posts on a journal-box, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. In a railway-car, the co1nbination,with the journal-boxes, of postsA, supported at opposite sides of the journal-bearings in each box andhaving springs o confined upon them, a truck-frame B, su rlnounting thesaid springs and formed as toits sides with channel-bars fr andinterposed non-resonant filling 7", and

as to its ends with channel-bars r2 and springs o', confined upon thepostsvabove the truckframe and supporting the car-body, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

G. In a railway-car, the eombination,with the j ournal-boxes, of postsA, supported at op posite sides of the j ournal-bearin g in each box A,supported in the said bearings and provided with cap-flanges p and p',springs e, confined on the posts between the said springseats and thecap-flanges p, a truck-frame B, formed as to its sides with channel-bars7', supported by and embracing the posts between the cap-flanges thereonand filling r', and as to its ends with channel-bars r2 and springs o',seated around the posts in the capflanges p', and caps n, surmountingthe springs o at their upper ends and supporting the carbody,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a railway-car,the combination, with the journal-boxes, of atruck-frame B, supported thereon through the medium of interposedsprings o, and a car-body C, supported on the frame through the mediumof interposed springs o', the car-body maintaining its position by themere resting of its own weight, and the frame by the mere resting of itsweight and that carried by it on their respective supports and beingotherwise unsecured thereon and each being readily separable from thecar by lifting it from its immediate support, substantially asdescribed.

9. In a railway-car, the combination of a truck-frame B surmountingsprings 0, seated on the journalboxes and provided transversely withabeam m, carryinga hanger D, movable thereon lengthwise of the beam andadapted to support the free end of a motor, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

l0. In a railway-car, the combination of a truck-frame B, surinountingsprings o, seated on the journal -boxes and provided transversely with abeam m, and a hanger D, co1nprising a stem Z, having journaled in itsupper end a roller Z on the beam, and provided at its lower end withacurved seat Z2 for the free end of a motor, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

. J. CLoss, J. W. DYRENFoRTH.

